Entertainment

Thwapr Brings Mobile-to-Mobile Video-Sharing to Any Phone

Thwapr, a mobile-to-mobile video-sharing program that launches its public beta today, is focused on creating an easy-to-use cross-platform solution for sharing photos and videos with other people, regardless of what type of phone they use.

The Problem With Current Options

The problem with current mobile-to-mobile video- or photo-sharing options is that they don't work reliably with different platforms. Sure, I can send an MMS message to practically anyone, but that photo is often tied directly to my phone. If I switch devices or lose my phone, my photos are gone too.

The other big problem is that although services like TwitPic exist, they focus mostly on smartphones. My mom still has an old Motorola Razr. She can actually record and view video, but obviously she can't get a TwitPic-compatible application, which makes it hard for us to share photos.

Even among smartphones, the different video standards can create a problem for users. Sure, YouTube is supported on more and more mobile devices, but it's not universal.

Thwapr's Solution

Thwapr is a free service that addresses these issues. Utilizing SMS messaging and e-mail, you can send video and photos to almost anyone with a cell phone. Thwapr supports more than 170 different devices on carriers in the U.S. and Canada (international countries are coming soon).

Here's how it works: A friend can send you a picture or a video using Thwapr. You get notified by an SMS message that gives you a link. That link will take you to a site that has been tested across mobile browsers and then it will display the photo or encode the video (on the fly) in a format optimized for your mobile device.

You can then respond to that message, or "thwap" by either entering a comment or sending your own photo or video back to the person. You can upload using e-mail, and on devices that lack e-mail support, MMS. I did a number of real-time demos with Thwapr's CTO yesterday and I was impressed with the speed with which I could both send and receive video or photos.

Simplicity and Cross-platform Is Key

The key to Thwapr is that it works with so many different platforms. You can use it on a BlackBerry, an iPhone, an Android device, and the new Nokia N900 and Palm devices (from the old Palm OS and webOS). You're notified that your upload is complete via SMS or e-mail (you can choose how you want to be notified) and you can add users to your friends list to easily send stuff their way.

Future Plans

Thwapr is opening up its public beta today, but the company already has some big plans. Not only is Thwapr deep in development on an iPhone app, but it is also looking at ways that people can respond directly to thwaps by placing orders. Think about the possibilities of marrying something like a Thwapr video of what's going on with Haiti with the ability to donate by responding to a Thwap.

Thwapr is also looking at geo-location so that advertisers can do sponsored thwaps to local users, which opens up all kind of cool possibilities. A movie theater could send thwaps to subscribed users with a new movie trailer and you could pre-order tickets in response.

Sharing video via mobile devices is only going to get bigger, but cross-compatibility is key. This is why Thwapr is so exciting.

Mashable
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